Get to know our national symbol in a new way. Go for a nature walk and locate maple trees in your neighbourhood. We all know the big sugar maple leaf from the Canadian flag. There are also soft silver maples, feathery Japanese maples, or purple Norway maple trees around London. You might want to thank the tree for bringing you its shade, quiet, and steady presence before taking a leaf for this art project. Can you guess how old this tree is? The oldest known maple tree in the world is right here in Ontario near Peterborough and it is 330 years.
Artist Jen Hamilton shows us how to make a leaf print using the centuries old practice of rubbings. Gather your supplies together and watch as the textured surface of the leaf transfers onto your piece of paper. Make multiple copies in different colours on a single sheet of paper. Name your creation or add words to describe your relationship to the trees in your neighbourhood.
Recommended materials:
1. paper
2. pencil
3. coloured pencils or crayons
4. leaves